Shola Ameobi: Spirit will save Geordies

It is important that the people who are here now want to play for the club

Newcastle's Shola Ameobi

The Toon stalwart claims Alan Pardew’s squad has too much character to suffer the same fate as their 2009 predecessors.

They crashed out of the Premier League in a dire season which saw four managers take charge at St James’ Park.

Defeat against fellow strugglers Reading today could send the Magpies tumbling into the drop zone, with the Royals just two points adrift.

Long-serving Ameobi, 31, has seen it all since making his Newcastle debut 12 years ago. And he’s convinced today’s players are made of sterner stuff than the likes of Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins, who went down last time.

“It feels very different,” said Ameobi. “Back then there was a lot of discord.

“I remember thinking there were players who didn’t really want to be here and that doesn’t bode well for any team.

“Certainly those that are here now have better characters and better temperaments and hopefully that can help us.”

Skipper Fabricio Coloccini is looking to leave but his reasons for wanting out are personal rather than professional and he continues to retain the respect of Pardew and his team-mates.

Ameobi believes the current crop care for the club far more than some he can recall.

“It is important that the people who are here now want to play for the club,” he said.

“And I know that when they pull on that black and white shirt they have that feeling that we’re all in this together – and that wasn’t the case before.

“When we lose games I can see that everyone in this squad is hurting. It’s in their faces. Sometimes we’re in the changing room for half an hour after the game discussing it ­because we care.

“It means so much to the players – and four years ago it wasn’t like that.

“Many of them knew they’d be leaving at the end of the season and I think that is the difference.

“Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t as if they did not want to win and it’s important to state that, but afterwards they’d be smiling again within a few minutes.

“This season you can see that every single player is prepared to knuckle down.”

Newcastle have lost nine of their last 12 league games and Pardew admits he badly needs recruits to avoid a scrap for survival.

He will rely on Papiss Cisse and Ameobi – who is back following a one-match ban – for goals today.

And while the Geordie has never been a prolific marksman, he has a habit of scoring crucial goals.

The last time he scored in a losing cause was way back in 2009 and it was Ameobi who struck the winner in Newcastle’s last victory, against QPR four weeks ago.

“It’s imperative we get the three points this weekend,” he added.

“With Villa away after Reading, the next two games could define our season.

“These are trying times and it can seem frantic, but it’s important we keep cool heads.”